ok i know this sounds strange but does anybody know the surface temperature of a 60 watt light bulb?
And please don’t tell me just to put a thermometer onto the glass 
is there anywhere with specifications? i tried a search on google but couldn’t find anything.
thanks so much if u can help me, it’s really important i know:bow:
Try putting a rectal thermometer up your ass and lick the bulb with your tounge. By using some simple thermo dynamic equations and the laws of conduction, you should be able to calculate the bulbs temperature in this manner. Let me know what you find out cause this has mystified me for years.
genius
This isn’t going to be easy to answer, because no offence but it really is a stupid question! you may as well ask how long is a piece of string?
There are so many diffferent types of lightbulb and they will all vary in surface temp as not only will they use different fillaments but the the outer surface material will also effect the reading…
Good luck in your quest!
Cheers
Ace
Unfortunately, this depends on the size of the light bulb, type of bulb and even which way the light bulb is when switched on! 
In a 60w Halogen bulb, the glass surface temperature can well exceed 500C, :a where as a typical house-hold 60w tungsten lamp base-down will have a surface temperature of 200C or so. 
If the bulb is base side up, i.e. from the ceiling, then the surface temperature (opposite end to base) may not even exceed 100C as the heat from the filament inside the lamp raises. Also, a lamp in an enclosed casing will be hotter than a lamp in the open. That’s why most enclosed lamp fittings such as outdoor lamps have a 60 watt maximum rating. 
Since we determined the question to be stupid (yes it really is :)) because of the lack of data, I want to ask the topicstarter why he wants to know this… 
Hmmmmm,
Originally posted by poon
Try putting a rectal thermometer up your ass and lick the bulb with your tounge.
Is this a secret fantasy of yours?
( or something else in that direction!!).
Grtz
How about sticking the bulb up the ass and a thermometer in the piehole?
Does anyone know the temp. of the little tube inside a high pressure sodium bulb ? Or a metal halide? I really need to know!
I know it looks like a stupid question but it is actually a uk regulation that a standard light bulb has to have a surface temp below 90c in order for it to be classed safe when fixed to wood.
So in a project that we have to do in my degree, i need to follow certain regs and prove that my “Model” complies with them.
I therefore then need to know what size light bulb i can put in.
you could experiment - if you are the danger seeking type
waters boiling temp lowers when it isnt pure. mix enough stuff in to verify that it will boil at 90 degrees C. then turn the light bulb on, and submerge it in the water. if the water ever boils, its not safe
A good idea, but already thought of. Plus i don’t think i could justify hiring a team of light bulb testers to test in a real life situation. (it has to be suitable in the real world aswel as in my model)
There has to be specifications somewhere.
If you don’t want to stick a lightbulb or rectal thermometer up the butt you could try this.
Things you’ll need for this project:
if it has to be below 90 C, then someone figured out how to measure it efficiently. why not use their method, instead of reinventing the wheel?
//more practical suggestion
if they cant test your model, bullsh*t them ;).
Hmm, ckin2001; are you sure about boiling temp lowers when some stuff (like salts) are disolved in it?
As far as I know (chemistry student), this depends on the nature of the dissolved stuff; salts (most/all?) are less volatile compared to water, so adding some salt to the water will rise the boiling temp. (eg when you add a few grams of ureum to 1litre of pure water, the boiling point will rise to about 105°C)
You could add liquids with a lower boiling point (eg Ethanol). Ethanol and water form a true mix (unlike many other organic liquids and water that form two layers). This mix should have a lower boiling point. (BP Ethanol: about 77°C?)
If you need 60 watts of light, but don’t mind the bulb being a little over sized, then a 12 Watt CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamp) should do the trick. These give the same light as a 60 watt light bulb, but will not get hot to the point where one cannot touch the bulb. Some of the newer ones like philips are shapped to look like a regular light bulb, although a little larger than a typical 60w bulb.
turn on the light buld and wait until it is hot.
when it is hot, let some drops of water fall on the bulb’s surface. if it evaporates immediately or at least after a few seconds, the bulb is hotter than 90^C.
PS:
i also recommend a CFL. so you don’t need to worry about the temperature.
Originally posted by a minor threat
[B]turn on the light buld and wait until it is hot.when it is hot, let some drops of water fall on the bulb’s surface. if it evaporates immediately or at least after a few seconds, the bulb is hotter than 90^C.
PS:
i also recommend a CFL. so you don’t need to worry about the temperature. [/B]
And if you got bad luck, the bulb will explode and glass will be flying around…
Pretty stupid, as this can hurt you serious!
of course you should not submerge the hot glass in icy water.
i am talking of one or two drops.
this method seems to me less dangerous than licking it.
instead of waterdrops you can wet your fingers, shake the water off. after that you can spray very few water onto the bulb, so the risk of explosion should be reduced to zero and you can still hear to water turn to steam (if so).
Originally posted by a minor threat
[B]of course you should not submerge the hot glass in icy water.i am talking of one or two drops.
this method seems to me less dangerous than licking it.
instead of waterdrops you can wet your fingers, shake the water off. after that you can spray very few water onto the bulb, so the risk of explosion should be reduced to zero and you can still hear to water turn to steam (if so). [/B]
Ok, try this (at your own risc) and post the results here